We Are Still Building This!

The theme for this year's Republican National Convention in Tampa is We Did Build That!

It's an interesting choice of a theme. There are a lot of options this year: Governor Romney is running against a president who simply hasn't got anything right. Even the death of Osama Bin Laden, it turns out, is something that he bungled, since we saw him "spike the football" about it when his poll numbers started looking scary (incidentally, they haven't got any better since then).

But it's a worthy message, one that puts the question of economic freedom front and center, which is appropriate, since it will be front and center in November.

Tonight, potential First Lady Ann Romney will be speaking. The liberal media is afraid of a strong Republican woman speaking in this election cycle, in which their only hope of winning is making the "War on Women" plausible to independents, and people who pay little attention to politics. This beautiful and courageous woman is quite a weapon for the Romney campaign.

We will also be hearing from Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, and Governor Nikki Haley, two outstanding leaders of whom the Grand Old Party is justifiably proud.

In fact, despite liberal attacks and smear-campaigns to the contrary, the Republican Party will be showing the world its diversity. Senator Kelly Ayotte, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Governor Mary Fallin, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, and House candidate Mia Love will all be speaking directly to the country, not mediated by any biased commentators.

It just goes to show that conservative principles are universal. The Democrats, on the other hand, are the ones who support special interests and special privileges. We are pro-family (universal), they are pro-homosexual (particular). We are pro-life (universal), they are pro-abortion (particular). We are pro-equality (universal), they are pro-affirmative action (particular).It is the Republican Party that is no respecter of persons: we don't care who you are; if you believe what we believe, the door is wide open.

But there are some surprises on the roster for the Convention.

The biggest one to me is Senator Paul, who ran as an anti-establishment candidate for Senate and won almost in spite of the Party. Sponsored by Senator DeMint, and brought to prominence by his father, Representative Ron Paul, he's a TeaPartier, and here he is on the main stage of the establishment!This will bring together the disparate strands of conservatism in our country, and give a megaphone to a man who will play a major role in the party for decades to come.

The keynote speaker, of course, is New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. This is another interesting selection. The obvious choice would be someone like Marco Rubio-a Floridian, a handsome, youthful, and articulate member of the fastest-growing demographic in the country, Latin Americans. Selecting Christie, however, has the benefit of speaking to the Reagan Democrat crowd, the moderates and independents who will ultimately decide the fate of our country this November.Christie speaks in a direct style that is appealing to blue collar voters, and makes him appear much more human and personablethan the average politician. Having him speak will demonstrate that the Republican Party is no longer the country club party.

The Party platform this year is a striking contrast with theDemocratic platform, which has, for the first time of any party platform in American history, added a plank supporting homosexual marriage. To call this new and unprecedented is also to call it extreme. The Republican platform rightly opposes this illegitimate institution and gives religious voters a clear choice between social experimentation and tested tradition.

Controversially, the platform also includes support for banning all abortions. This is another brave choice. Following the ridiculous and ignorant comments of Representative Akin earlier this week about children conceived in rape, it would have been easy to back down from what we know to be right and duck the issue altogether. Governor McDonnell deserves commendation for keeping it in. Democrats will go on record, for all of history to read, advocating the killing of children conceived in rape, Republicans, thankfully, will not.

Fortunately, Tropical Storm Isaac looks to be heading West. I pray that no one gets hurt, and that this convention will get us all excited and ready to help this country recover from Hurricane Barack.